Tag Archives: service and maintenance

An electrical safety check might prevent serious damage to your home or any of its major appliances. The electrical system is easy to ignore since it’s out of sight and silent. But doing so could be risky because electricity is a powerful force. A periodic inspection will assure you that it’s working as it should and meets all safety codes.

Scheduling an Electrical Safety Check

Home safety professionals recommend that a licensed electrician look it over once a year to keep minor issues from becoming catastrophic problems. If your electrical system shows any of these signs of electrical problems, schedule an inspection promptly:

Frequent circuit breakers trips

Lights flicker, which could indicate a short in the wiring in the walls or the cord

Humming noises from the breaker box. This is never a good sign, and usually means that the breaker is bad and won’t trip even if it’s overloaded. Heat will build and it has the potential to start a fire.

The home is more than 25 years old. The wiring insulation may have disintegrated or the outlets have aged.

The wiring is aluminum. Over time, aluminum wiring oxidizes, which increases the resistance on the wiring, causing it to overheat.

What to Expect During an Electrical Safety Check

During an electrical safety check, the electrician will test the circuit breakers and visually inspect the switches and outlets. Outward signs of problems include switches that don’t work and discolored outlets.

Excessive use of power strips or multi-outlets usually indicates you need more outlets or receptacles. If your circuit breaker box is full, you may need a new, larger box to handle your present power demand and provide room for future expansion.

Other issues might include shorts when using certain switches, outlets or appliances. The electrician will pinpoint the problem, whether it’s in the wall, a fixture, or an appliance.

It makes sense to have an electrical safety check to avoid preventable damage to your home, appliances, or devices. If you’d like to learn more, contact Roth Heating & Cooling, providing licensed HVAC and electrical services for Portland-area homeowners.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Metro Portland, Oregon area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

The arrival of fall tells us that winter isn’t far away, so it’s time to get your plumbing system ready for colder weather. Following these essential fall plumbing tips can make the task easier.

Put Away Your Garden Hoses

To keep your hoses in good condition so you can use them next year, disconnect and drain each one. Then, roll them up and store them in a spot where they won’t be exposed to freezing temperatures, like the basement.

Winterize Your Outdoor Hose Bib

If your bib is equipped with an indoor shutoff, close it then go outside and open the bib spigot and let any remaining water drain out. Lastly, cover the bib with a foam insulator for an extra layer of protection against freezing and bursting.

Protect Vulnerable Pipes From Freezing

Adding protection to vulnerable water pipes can prevent freezing and let you avoid the headaches of dealing with ruptures and water damage. First, install insulated foam sleeves on pipes situated in unheated areas, like the garage or basement. If you have accessible pipes running through an exterior wall, you should protect them with heat cable that’s controlled by an automatic thermostat.

Perform Water Heater Maintenance

Since you’re tackling plumbing maintenance, it’s the ideal time to drain and flush sediment from your water heater tank, and make sure that the pressure relief valve is functioning properly. You should also adjust the unit’s thermostat setting to 120 degrees, and install insulated foam sleeves on first four feet of hot water piping coming from the tank. If your appliance is older and not well-insulated, you should also add an insulated tank blanket to limit heat losses.

Check Your Sump Pump

To prevent damage from basement flooding and water intrusions during the fall and winter, this is a good time to test your sump pump’s functionality and clear any accumulated debris from the sump pit. If you don’t already have one, invest in a backup battery so your pump works during a power outage.

For help winterizing your Portland-area home with these fall plumbing tips, contact us at Roth Heating & Cooling.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Metro Portland, Oregon area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

When the air turns cold and you switch on your heating equipment for the first time in nearly a year, the last thing you want is for it to not be operating properly. To keep you from being unprepared, here are a few quick winter prep tips that’ll allow your household to continue running smoothly:

Call a Technician

Annual maintenance of your heating equipment will keep it operating at peak performance for many years. A professional HVAC technician will ascertain any potential problems that might arise and make suggestions that will improve its energy efficiency. This means a more robust system that saves you money.

Test the Thermostat

If your thermostat isn’t working properly, your entire household – and its energy bill – will suffer. Before the winter season kicks into full gear, we suggest that you switch on your heating equipment to test it out. If it takes longer than expected to warm up your home, then it may be time to invest in a new thermostat, preferably a wi-fi or other advanced model.

Fix Ductwork Leaks

When air leaks occur due to holes and tears in your ductwork, the heating equipment is forced to work harder to deliver the same amount of comfort throughout your home. You can choose to either fix these problems yourself or contact a professional technician for assistance. Either way, tend to this immediately.

Check the Vents

You’d be surprised how many heating and cooling issues come down to blocked or clogged vents. It isn’t uncommon for vents to become clogged by dirt and debris, which is an easy solution to fix in a matter of minutes by removing the vents, wiping them down, and cleaning out the debris. It’s also possible that vents in certain locations may be blocked by boxes and similar items that can be removed.

For more expert advice on the winter prep needs for your HVAC system, or if you have any other questions related to home comfort, please contact the professionals at Roth Heating & Cooling. We’ve been serving the HVAC needs of Portland and the surrounding area since 1976.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Metro Portland, Oregon area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

It seems that just as you get accustomed to one season, another one is already here to take its place. Now that cooler weather is finally upon us, it’s time to start dealing with your HVAC system’s fall maintenance needs. Here’s what we would suggest you tackle right away:

Hiring an Heating & Cooling Technician

Your heating and cooling equipment should be checked each year for any possible issues that could hurt the system’s efficiency or lifespan. A technician will be able to pinpoint these issues and help maintain the equipment, which will keep your energy costs down and help the system last longer.

Clean or Replace the Air Filter

Your air filter needs to be cleaned or replaced on a regular basis, if neglected debris in the air will eventually clog filters and cause your furnace to stop working properly. This is a do-it-yourself project, that could have lasting effects on your utility bills.

Remove Debris from Outdoor Unit

If your HVAC system includes an outdoor unit, it’s time to walk outside and check on it. There’s a very good chance that it’s covered with anything from leaves to bird nests. Remove what you can by hand and then grab a hose to clean the rest of it off. This is a quick and easy job that will keep your system running smoothly and efficiently.

Switch to a Smart Wi-Fi Thermostat

This piece of advice is good for any time of the year. While your home probably isn’t equipped with one of those antiquated manual models, there’s a good chance that you don’t have one of the newest “smart” thermostats. These devices allow you to make changes on-the-fly so that you can adjust them as needed. Plus, they send reports on usage to help you target your energy bills.

For more fall maintenance assistance or any other home comfort questions, be sure to reach out to the professionals at Roth Heating & Cooling, serving the heating and cooling needs of Lake Oswego and the surrounding area since 1976.

Our goal is to help educate our customers in the Metro Portland, Oregon area about energy and home comfort issues (specific to HVAC systems).

Although the weather in the Portland region is calm nearly all year long because of the sheltering we experience from the mountains, occasionally we do have to endure severe weather. Being prepared is your best insurance against the hardship the loss of utilities can cause for both you and your home. Continue reading →

You could wait until your air conditioner completely croaks to replace it, but that could leave you without air conditioning on a hot afternoon in Portland. Rather, the best step to take is to learn what signs indicate your air conditioner is on its last leg. That way, you can stop pouring money into repairs and fit an air conditioner replacement conveniently into your schedule and budget. Continue reading →

Just like any other piece of heating and cooling equipment, heat pumps need regular tune-ups to operate well. That’s why every season, heat pump maintenance should be your number one concern. And here’s why. Continue reading →

Although the worst of the summer heat is still a ways off, it pays to start early when you’re considering an A/C upgrade. These big-ticket items are complex machines and may be one of the most expensive systems you have in your home. Air conditioners also come with an array of options that an HVAC expert can tell you about, increasing your comfort while lowering your utility bill. Relying on the expertise of an HVAC contractor assures you that you’ll get the right system for your home for years of dependable comfort. Continue reading →

If you want your heating and cooling equipment to run efficiently and last for years, routine filter maintenance is your key. Dirt takes a substantial toll on the parts inside your air handler, all of which is preventable when you change or clean the filters on a routine basis. Continue reading →

Allergy season in Portland runs from spring through summer. This extended season for allergies makes it difficult for allergy sufferers to function during spring and summer. Many people suffer from both indoor and outdoor allergies, making it difficult to find comfort indoors or out during pollen season. Luckily, there are steps you can take to improve the indoor air quality of your home, which will reduce the symptoms you feel for indoor allergies. If you make some small adjustments to your indoor filtration systems, you will see fewer allergy symptoms and breathe easier this spring- at least while indoors. Continue reading →